Policy to link ports, cities on cards

Ahmedabad-Vadodara expressway inaugurated

The central government will shortly announce a comprehensive transport and maritime affairs policy, T R Baalu, Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, said yesterday.

"The new policy will have a detailed plan to connect all ports with the hinterland, state capitals and national highways. We are inviting suggestions and recommendations from various trade and industry organisations, port authorities and other persons before the policy will be announced," he said.

Baalu was in the city to inaugurate the Ahmedabad-Vadodara expressway, a mega project of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

The 93.4 kilometre national expressway - 1 (it is the first to be constructed by the NHAI) has been named the Mahatma Gandhi Expressway.

While the first phase of the expressway from Ahmedabad to Nadiad, measuring 43.4 kilometres, was inaugurated by former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee in January 2003, the second phase from Nadiad to Vadodara (50 kilometres) was inaugurated on Tuesday.

While the first phase was completed at a cost of Rs 200 crore, the second phase was completed at a cost of Rs 350 crore.

Admitting that a lot of time had been wasted in commissioning the expressway, Baalu said that, while expressways will definitely help improve movement of vehicles, farmers residing around the expressway cannot be ignored.

"I have instructed my department officials to work out a way by which others too can use the expressway. If bullock carts cannot travel on the main lanes of the expressway, there ought to be parallel roads for them," said the minister.

The surveilance on this road will also be strengthened by setting up CCTV (closed circuit TVs) at important locations, emergency call boxes at every kilometre and ambulances for 24 hours, he said.

The formal inauguration of the 53-km stretch between Nadiad and Vadodara, built at a cost of Rs 350 crore, was scheduled for August 16 but was postponed following the death of former Gujarat chief minister and Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Amarsinh Chaudhary on August 15.

Earlier, Union Textiles minister Shankersinh Vaghela lamented the fact that more than a decade had been lost owing to the delay in the expressway project.

"It was originally scheduled to be completed with a cost of just over Rs 100 crore. Democracy does not mean being negligent and having no accountability. Although it has been late, it is good that the project is finally through," Vaghela said.

Chief minister Narendra Modi urged the Union government to find a solution to the truckers' nationwide strike, stating that it is ironical that the expressway "" largely meant for truckers "" has been inaugurated at a time when the truckers are on strike.

"The country had ignored infrastructure projects for long. It is only in the past few years that these are being given prominence. If Gujarat's ports are connected well with roads, its growth will surge further," he said.

Modi stated that now that the Ahmedabad-Vadodara stretch of expressway has been completed, the NHAI must work on completion of the Vadodara-Mumbai highway.

Others who were present for the inaugural function included Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways K H Muniyappa, Union Minister of State for Railways Naran Rathwa, state minister for roads and buildings I K Jadeja and others.